Madison Fellowships

James Madison Junior Fellowships are awarded to seniors or recent graduates who intend to pursue their master's degrees and become outstanding teachers of the American constitution in secondary schools.

Eligibility

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals.

Applicants must be in their senior year of college or be recent college graduates. (Senior fellowships are available to individuals who are already employed as teachers. See the James Madison Web site for more information.)

Candidates must pursue one of the following degrees:

Master of arts (MA) in American history or political science

Master of arts in teaching (MAT) with a concentration in either American constitutional history or American government, political institutions, and political theory

Master of education (MEd) or the master of arts or master of science in education with a concentration in American history or American government, political institutions, and political theory

After earning a master's degree, each James Madison Fellow must teach American history, American government, or social studies in grades 7-12 for no less than one year for each full academic year of study under the fellowship.

Candidates must submit a completed application form, an essay explaining why the study of the constitution is an essential part of secondary school education, two or three letters of evaluation, and transcripts.

Applicants do not need to be nominated by Ball State. However, they are strongly advised to work with Barb Stedman, director of national and international scholarships, in preparing their application materials. At least six weeks before the deadline--preferably earlier--students should call 765-285-1024 to schedule an appointment, or e-mail bstedman@bsu.edu if they have questions.

Madison application guidance for Ball State students

Click to access an application packet prepared specifically for Ball State students who apply for a Madison scholarship. It contains tips on creating the best application possible, a timeline and checklist, advice on getting strong letters of recommendation, and sample essays.

You will need to enter your Ball State username and password to gain access.

Deadline

The deadline for the 2017 competition is March 1, 2017. All materials must be received, not postmarked, by that date.

Duration and amount

James Madison Fellows are supported for the two years of their master's degree programs.

The maximum amount of each award is $24,000 (not exceeding $12,000 per academic year) to cover the actual costs of tuition, required fees, books, and room and board.